Jack Kilby
An American electrical engineer who, along with Robert Noyce, invented the integrated circuit while working at Texas Instruments.
Most quoted
"I don't recall ever hearing Jack Kilby speak in a way that would be described as 'philosophically deep' or 'existentially profound.' His focus was always on the practical application of technology."
— from Historical accounts and interviews with colleagues
"The integrated circuit was not an invention in the sense of a single 'aha!' moment, but rather the culmination of a lot of hard work and many small steps."
— from Nobel Lecture, 2000
"We were trying to solve the 'tyranny of numbers' problem—the fact that as circuits became more complex, the number of connections became unmanageable."
— from Technical Explanation
All quotes by Jack Kilby (402)
Some people dream of changing the world. I just wanted to make electronics less cumbersome.
They called it 'monolithic.' I just called it 'smaller.'
I'm not sure if I'm an inventor or just a very persistent tinkerer.
The future of electronics is small. Very, very small.
If you want to invent something, just find something that's too big and make it smaller.
I didn't have a grand vision. I just had a lot of components and a desire to connect them more efficiently.
My invention made computers possible. Now they're making me obsolete.
The best inventions are often the simplest ones, once you figure them out.
I'm often asked what I'm working on now. Usually, it's my golf swing.
They gave me a Nobel Prize for something I did on a summer break. Imagine what I could have done with a full year!
The integrated circuit was a triumph of laziness. I didn't want to wire all those components by hand.
I just put a bunch of things on a piece of silicon. The magic happened when they started talking to each other.
My wife always said I was good at putting things together. I guess she was right.
The biggest challenge wasn't the technology, it was the paperwork.
I'm not sure what's more amazing: that I invented it, or that it actually worked.
They say every great invention starts with a problem. Mine started with a lot of empty labs.
I just wanted to make a better mousetrap. Turns out, I made a better everything.
The integrated circuit is like a tiny city, all connected and working together. Except it doesn't have traffic jams.
I never thought I'd be responsible for everyone having a phone in their pocket. I just wanted to shrink a radio.
My advice to young inventors: don't be afraid to be bored. That's when the good ideas happen.
Contemporaries of Jack Kilby
Other Inventions born within 50 years of Jack Kilby (1923–2005).